If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Linux 3.0 Kernel May Remove Some Old Cruft

05-24-2011, 11:10 AM

Phoronix: Linux 3.0 Kernel May Remove Some Old Cruft

The discussion surrounding Linus Torvalds' proposal to end the Linux 2.6 kernel series and continue on as the Linux 3.0 kernel has continued on since it began less than 24 hours ago. The reaction has largely been positive and supportive of this proposed change. Of the few objections, some see no reason to mess around with the versioning, but now there may be a reason for this change: to drop the old cruft that's been living in the kernel...

Comment

What's that stuff Ralph Baechle is saying about hardware refusing to die? Let that old cruft/zombie undead junk run on the "old" 2.6 kernel. No need to propagate that junk until the end of time.

Another interesting perspective is that Linux can lead hardware changes. Especially when it comes to servers -- if Linux won't support crufty old junk, then hardware makers won't keep including that crufty old junk. At least not in server hardware.

Comment

It sure does sound like a great idea to move really old drivers to an "obsolete" area where they'll at some point be completely removed from the tree down the road as most really old systems that use such drivers like ISA, EISA or MCA for example are not quite as prevalent nowadays. "Oddball" drivers that only support one or two odd devices that aren't in much use any longer should be also be considered for removal. With such cleaning then the tree'll be leaner and quicker to build not to mention making it easier for maintenance.

Linux 3.0 should be a new start so perhaps this is the time for kernel devs/driver maintainers to look into doing an overhaul of the kernel tree and removing the cruft that has built up over 20 years of Linux kernel development.

What's that stuff Ralph Baechle is saying about hardware refusing to die? Let that old cruft/zombie undead junk run on the "old" 2.6 kernel. No need to propagate that junk until the end of time.

Another interesting perspective is that Linux can lead hardware changes. Especially when it comes to servers -- if Linux won't support crufty old junk, then hardware makers won't keep including that crufty old junk. At least not in server hardware.

Ditto...like Windows has dropped support for some old hardware its time for Linux to follow suit

Either way, version numbers shouldn't be about features. This is what Linus has been saying since 2.6 was released. I don't think there should be a goal for the kernel to reach 3.0. If Linus wants to call 2.6.40 version 3.0 then that's good enough. 3.0 doesn't have to be special.